Yokota Kyodo Museum
Yokota Kyodo Museum (横田郷土資料館): The Yokota Folklore Museum in the Izumo region of Shimane Prefecture is housed in a lovely thatched farmhouse dating back to the late 19th century. Home to a wealthy farming family, it is set in grounds with a small garden.
Yokota Kyodo Museum (Yokota History Museum) 横田郷土資料館
Jake Davies
Yokota is a small town nestled in the scenic mountains of Okuizumo. Okuizumo is a remote, mysterious region in Shimane Prefecture, home to many of the oldest of Japanese myths with particular reference to iron and sword-making.
Served by the Okuizumo Orochi Tourist Train, many people visit this area for its hot springs (onsen), great hiking, and its fascinating myths.
Worth visiting if you are in the area is the Yokota Folklore Museum. The museum is housed in a lovely thatched farmhouse dating back to the late 19th century. Obviously home to a fairly well to do farming family, it is set in grounds with a small garden.
Yokota Folklore Museum in Okuizumo, Shimane Prefecture
Traditional tatami room of a 19th century farmhouse in Yokota
Around the house are collections of wagon wheels, large pots and other agricultural tools. Entering into the earthen-floored section there are lots of farming tools and implements as well as many artifacts made from straw such as hats and raincoats etc.
The kitchen area is fairly large with a traditional kamado stove as well as an irori sunken hearth. The room is filled with kitchen objects and household goods as well as several types of loom.
The four tatami rooms give an indication that this was the home of a relatively rich farming family and can be entered after taking off your shoes in the genkan.
Sparsely decorated as all traditional Japanese rooms, there are, nonetheless, some artworks and a couple of tiny shrines.
One table has numerous printed materials though only in Japanese.
Much of the time the museum seems to unstaffed so you can enjoy perusing the rooms most probably on your own.
Kitchen area of Yokota Folklore Museum with kamado stove and irori sunken hearth
Many of the traditional objects from daily life at the Yokota Folklore Museum
Access - Getting There
Yokota Kyodo Museum
474 Shimoyokota
Okuizumo-cho, Nita-gun
Shimane Prefecture 699-1822
Tel: 0854 52 1112
Hours: Open 9 am to 5 pm. Closed on Mondays and during the winter months of December, January and February.
Admission: Entry is free
The Yokota Kyodo Museum is about 3 kilometers from JR Izumo-Yokota Station. Izumo-Yokata Station is around 2 hours from Izumo-shi Station in Izumo city via Shinji. Several local buses run past the museum from the Izumo-Yokata Station.
The Japan Rail Pass can be used on the Orochi Sightseeing Train.
